Pete Rose ill, cancels Huggins Fish Fry appearance
Apr. 5—MORGANTOWN — Pete Rose seldom stepped aside for a pinch hitter during a career that saw the Cincinnati Reds' great become baseball's all-time hit leader, but he announced he is unable to take his turn at the plate for the Bob Huggins Fish Fry on Saturday night due to illness.
That sent Huggins and his staff scurrying but they found a solid replacement for the Saturday night affair at Mylan Park in the persons of two former Super Bowl Pittsburgh Steelers — running back Rocky Blier and linebacker Jack Ham.
Rose's representatives say his illness is not considered serious but he's home and unable to travel.
Blier's story, of course, is well known as a Vietnam hero who came back from being wounded to play a full NFL career while Ham came out of Penn State and was part of one of the best linebacking trios in NFL history with Jack Lambert and Andy Russell in the Steel Curtain defense.
The Fish Fry is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
